Chapter Seven:

Blended Family

When Fang was a year old, Ruby and Chomper were encouraged by her parents to take a special night and go off on their own. While the first few times were hard, feeling bad for leaving their baby, they began to enjoy the time they spent together. They'd go for a late-night walk, talking and getting in the mood for some overdue intimacy. On one night, they went for a swim, the pair staying close to a shallow part, knowing they'd be safer from a swimming sharptooth and get away easier. Though, given Ruby kept her weapons close by, she didn't worry near as much, though Chomper still did. The pair found themselves on the far beach, admiring the Mysterious Island, a single bit of land sticking out from the reflection of a stary Big Water. Laying side by side, the pair found sleep. The next morning, they woke and rose for the day, going to find food. Pausing, they heard a set of voices, knowing it came from within the boarder of the Mysterious Beyond.

"Let's go check it out." Lifting her spear, Chomper gave a nod and walked ahead.

They crossed a ridge, spotting a set of beings, walking along. Getting a better look, they realized the pair were Ozzie and Strut, the egg stealers they met on their way to the Great Valley when they were kids.

"No way." Chomper said, surprised the pair were still alive and well. "I'm surprised they're still around stealing eggs."

"Oh, dear, they have an egg, an egg they've got."

"Should we intervene?"

"Yes, it's a helpless egg and the mother is probably worried sick." Ruby bravely went forward.

Chomper moved quickly, trying to keep up with her. "Hey, wait for me, Ruby!" While the couple went to confront the brother, Ozzie and Strut paused to take a breath. Both were older and only had enough energy to snatch the egg and flee.

"I don't think the mother will come for us." Strut said.

"No, I doubt it." Ozzie eyed up the egg, licking his lips. "Now, we eat."

"Maybe not now."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because a sharptooth is heading our way." Strut pointed behind Ozzie, spotting the approaching Chomper.

"Blast it all, we have to move."

Right when they were about to blot, a fastrunner swept out and blocked their path, drawing some strange stick before them. "Drop that egg, let it down gently!" Ruby kept the string taught, ready to let go should they move.

The brothers were surprised, especially given how strange Ruby looked. "Ozzie, I think we better do as they say."

"Quiet, I'm thinking." Ozzie studied Ruby, then spoke. "Wait, you look familiar, have we met before?"

"Ozzie, the sharptooth!" Strut whimpered, clutching Ozzie's shoulders.

"She said to place the egg down," Chomper spoke, gazing the brothers down.

"He talked!" They exclaimed, Ozzie smiling suddenly. "I remember you, the egg that got away. And her, the fastrunner who speaks strangely. How interesting you're still together. Though I must say deair, you, being around such a monster has turned you into one of them."

"Return the egg to its mother and no harm will befall either of you." Ruby weaved the arrow from left to right.

"We would, but the mother is dead, killed while most of the eggs were smashed to bits. This was the only one left unharmed. We take eggs from nests that are abandoned or untouched."

"Very well, then leave the egg with us, and I won't eat you." Chomper growled, baring his fangs.

"Ozzie, we should do as he says."

Ozzie glared at Chomper, then at Ruby, then back at Chomper. "Here!" Quickly, he tossed the egg in the air, buying he and Strut, some time to flee. "Catch!" Taking Strut's arm, he brushed by Ruby, who ran to get the egg. "So long, suckers!"

While the brothers took off, Chomper was too slow to get the egg, watching as it spun through the air. Ruby jumped from the side and slid on the ground, seizing the egg before it hit the earth. Sighing a breath of relief, Chomper went to inspect the tiny egg, along with Ruby, who rose and rubbed the brush burn along her body.

"Ruby, are you okay?"

"Fine, nothing a few leaves can't heal." She lifted the egg, eyeing it up. "Wonder what kind of baby sharptooth is inside this one?" Taking a few sniffs, Chomper held a worried expression. "What's wrong, what bothers you?"

"It's not a sharptooth, but a leaf-eater egg." He spoke coolly.

"Oh, what a surprise." Was all she said, keeping it close, nonetheless. "Well, it is still a baby and with its mother gone, won't survive on its own for too long."

"But Ruby, how will Fang be around it. She is a real sharptooth after all and might try to eat it and-"

"So, you're a meat-eater too and you didn't hurt anyone-"

"Yes, but I am half sky-being, not full sharptooth."

"Can you live with yourself, knowing we let a baby die?"

"No, but what if she tries to eat the baby when it hatches?"

"Calm down, Fang, is smart and with some explaining, she will understand, understand she will."

"Yeah, you're right, I'm probably overreacting." Rolling his eyes and sighing heavily, he knew Ruby was right, as she always was. In a defeated tone, he nodded. "Fine, we'll take it back with us. But it may not even hatch."

"Of course, it won't hatch, not unless I sit on it." Ruby held it close, heading back to the land path.

When they returned, all four were surprised by the sudden and unexpected addition to their pack. Laying the egg in the nest, Ruby sat upon it, Fang sniffing around the nest.

"What's that, mommy?" Fang asked curiously.

"Your new little baby brother or sister. We'll have to wait and see when it hatches."

"Yay, I'm going to have a sibling." Fang said, not caring if it was a leaf-eater or sharptooth.

"Well, congratulations, Boss." Screech said, patting Chomper's side.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Ruby, I hate to be the barer of bad news." Rondey spoke up. "But how will the flat tooth communicate with a sharptooth? I mean, we have a small idea, given we're half-tooth."

"Your right father, right you are." Ruby looked at Trudy. "Actually, mother and I might've found the solution." Ruby began to gesture with her hands, Trudy responding, all watching with wonder.

"We call it hand-speaking. If we teach it to Fang and the newer young and hatchling, they'll be able to talk without talking."

"I don't know what Mrs. Boss is saying, but I think the whole hand thing might actually work." Thud looked from Trudy to Ruby. "Count me in for lessons." Grabbing and pulling Screech close, Thud went on. "Screech will learn too."

"Screech will what?" Removing Thud's hands, Screech arched a brow. "I don't know Thud, seems like an awful lot of work."

"Learning something new sharpens the mind."

While there was some grumbling on Screech's end, all made a conscious effort to learn the hand-language, wanting Fang to be encouraged to join in. It was tough, frustrating, but over time, it became second nature to all, the family using it while they spoke the language, they were most comfortable with. Chomper and the fast-bitters spoke sharptooth, while Trudy and Rodney continued in leaf-eater, Ruby bouncing between both. In the time they spend learning, the egg grew and was ready to hatch, all gathered around to see. Cracks appeared on the shell and then, a tiny head pocked out, Ruby bending down the help the little one along.

"It's a boy."

Holding the baby up, everyone gathered to welcome the baby, Fang happy to have a friend to play with. The boy was thought to be a four-legger but was bipedal and could easily walk on two legs.

"We'll call him, Claw." Chomper said, tickling Claw's feet.

"Our little Claw."

Fang was gentle with baby Claw, being a good big sister, making sure he didn't go too far from the next. Fang was often found helping Ruby tend to the newly hatched young, gathering food and water for them. Chomper, Rodney, and Screech went to make their rounds, making sure no sharpteeth entered the island. Trudy and Thud stayed behind to guard and protect the hatchlings, Ruby staying close to the nest and her babies. During calmer days, Chomper and Ruby took the kids to play along the beach, enjoying their family time. In his fastrunner body, Chomper held Claw, who giggled and kicked the surface of the water. Ruby and Fang swam to collect clams, coming up for air and setting the clams among their pile of seafood. Once the pile was big enough, Claw crawled on the sand, chasing Fang. With a small breath, Chomper eyed up a rock, lifting his arm, focusing his mind to try to move it. The rock didn't budge, and Chomper sighed, lowering his gaze to his feet. Ruby noticed he kept trying to move items with his mind, though he was getting anywhere. With a soft hum, she went and sat beside him, seeing him sweat with how hard he focused on it.

"Chomper, I hate to tell you this, but it's not going to move."

"Ruby, I need to get them back. It's another way to protect you and our kids."

"It will come back, just give it time." Ruby said, patting his side.

"What if they don't?"

"Whether it does or does not, there's no point in worrying. We're safe here, far from danger. Besides, I can protect us, will do whatever is in my power to keep them safe." Nuzzling him, she took a deep breath. "You know I love you as you are, right?"

"Of course, and I love you too, Ruby, my warrior mate."

"I see you." She whispered.

"And I see you." He replied gently.

Feeling her hug him, he joined her in the water to play with Fang and Claw. When it was close to dusk, each parent carried one baby, returning to the nest to tuck them in. Their young were already asleep, Ruby laying down, patting for him to follow. Down, he curled close to them, feeling her brush his face tenderly.

"I never thought how wonderful it would be to be a parent."

"Yeah, it's the best adventure we've been on in a long time."

Smiling at their sleeping young, they cuddled close and looked into one another's eyes. Slowly, they found sleep, the night circle hanging high in the night sky.